The Patriots proceed including to their tight finish room by reportedly agreeing to veteran tight finish Austin Hooper on a one-year deal, based on NFL Community.
The 29-year-old joins beginning tight finish Hunter Henry to offer New England veteran stability on the place. After making the Professional Bowl in consecutive seasons with the Falcons, Hooper joined new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in Cleveland for 2 seasons, tallying 84 catches, 780 yards, and 7 touchdowns in Van Pelt’s offense throughout the 2020-21 seasons.
Hooper’s time with the Browns and the Pats OC made him an apparent free-agent goal. Hooper can be a extra prototypical in-line choice than former Patriots tight finish Mike Gesicki, who signed with the Bengals on Tuesday. In Cleveland, almost 72% of Hooper’s snaps got here as a hand within the filth tight finish. The vet does supply some alignment flexibility, often flexing into the slot, however his ability set is way completely different than a jumbo receiver like Gesicki.Â
Though the Patriots have two skilled tight ends to hold them by way of the 2024 season, there’s nonetheless a necessity for developmental expertise and blocking upside. Henry and Hooper usually are not often known as influence run blockers, functioning as stalemate blockers moderately than people-movers. Moreover, the Pats tight finish room would profit from extra explosiveness within the passing sport with an eye fixed towards getting youthful on the place.
As nice as youthful upside sounds for the Patriots, the 2024 NFL Draft shouldn’t be thought-about to function nice expertise at tight finish moreover projected first-rounder Brock Bowers and probably Texas TE Ja’Tavion Sanders. New England would possibly’ve opted for quick options at tight finish as a result of weaker draft class, whereas different wants might trump tight finish within the first two rounds.
Ultimately, the Patriots free-agent additions must make a much bigger quick influence. Nonetheless, Hooper helps them fill out the depth chart behind Henry at tight finish with a participant who may be very skilled of their new offense.